What fighters can you name who were or are "avoided?"

[holmcall]

What fighters can you name who were or are "Avoided?"



Back in the day, Ronald “Winky “ Wright was avoided like he had the plague. Instead of high-profile fights that carried with them good paydays, he had to settle for three bouts against Bronco McKart. When he finally got his due, he made the most of it by beating Sugar Shane Mosley twice and schooling Felix “Tito” Trinidad. Ironically, his last fight (a UD loss) was against another boxer who carries the label of avoided; namely, Paul “The Punisher” Williams (38-1). Curiously, Williams, who is unusually tall and has a monster reach, also fought another avoided type back in 2007, one Antonio Margorito—who is now avoided for a different reason. Most famously, Floyd Mayweather Jr. reportedly turned down an $8 million offer to fight Margarito, Once these feared fighters finally engaged more prominent names and each other, the hefty paychecks rolled in and they no longer were the high-risk, low reward fighters that they had once been.

Can you name others--past or present?

[El Kabong]

Well, I guess Edwin Valero maybe....but that would probably be due to his inability to get licensed in the US or something.

John Ruiz and Chris Byrd had cases for being "avoided" vs Lennox Lewis BUT that was more due to the fact that Lewis' career was coming to an end and Ruiz and Byrd didn't offer much money.

Ike Ibeabuchi and David Tua in the late 1990's early 2000's didn't have lines of fighters forming up to fight them

[Spicoli]

McCallum springs to mind....shit Marquez spent the first part of career practically in witness protection and all the while was one of the best in the sport.

[El Kabong]

Sam Langford never got a fair shot at a title....I heard tell of when Dempsey was coming up and needed a fight to legitimize himself Langford offered his services but Dempsey's manager said that Jack needed an easier fight and I think at that point in time Sam had to be near 40

Gene Tunney....not many people were jumping up and down to fight him

[rjj tszyu]

Hagler was avoided for about 45 fights and suffered 2 robbery defeats in the process (both of which were KO'd as a result in the rematches). But once he finally got his shot he drew with Antuofermo in a bout I thought he had won despite his somewhat cautious last 5 rounds. After this he just started to destroy everything that stood in his way and was no longer "avoidable", resulting in some of the greatest middleweight fights of all time!

[Nameless]

Paul William is one of the most avoided in modern episodes of boxing. Beside him.